Polestar hits go on Hertz electric car partnership

Polestar has commenced deliveries of Polestar 2s to Hertz rental car agents around the world as part of a five-year agreement between the two companies.

The partnership will see Polestar supply Hertz with 65,000 electric vehicles between now and 2025, in what Polestar says is one of the largest single orders of EVs recorded worldwide.

The latter claim is something of a dig at the expense of Tesla. The rivalling company had reportedly signed a deal to supply 100,000 vehicles to Hertz, only for the deal to eventually fall over.

“Our partnership with Hertz is an exciting milestone that provides the opportunity for a significant number of potential new customers to experience an EV for the first time, and it will be in a Polestar,” says Polestar chief executive Thomas Ingenlath.

“With over 55,000 Polestar cars already on the road across our 25 live markets there is no doubt that our brand is growing at an incredible pace.”

“We’re excited to add this first delivery of Polestars to our fleet, expanding the opportunities for Hertz customers to enjoy the experience of driving an electric vehicle,” adds Hertz executive vice president Darren Arrington.

The announcement comes as Polestar outlines sales goals of its own. By 2025, the brand hopes to boast annual sales of approximately 290,000 vehicles. This will come not only via the Polestar 2, but via the launch of new vehicles like the Polestar 3 SUV detailed earlier this week.

The brand says it’s already showing signs of considerable growth. In the first six months of the year, it’s taken 32,000 orders for Polestar 2s; a 290% increase on orders in the first half of last year.  

Complementing its Polestar 2 fleet, Hertz has confirmed it’s also adding a the hybrid Polestar 1 to its ‘Dream fleet’ as a slick two-door option for those wanting to rent a performance car for their next holiday.

Hertz agents in the US will unsurprisingly be the first recipients of the shipment, with reports that Seattle, Los Angeles, Burbank, and Orange County will be among the first to receive their Polestar 2s.